The Indianapolis 500

• Legendary trophy is one of the most recognizable trophies in the world
• Each year the Borg-Warner Trophy is presented to the winner of the Indianapolis 500, the Greatest Spectacle in Racing
• Commissioned in 1935, the sterling silver trophy has the likenesses of every Indianapolis 500 race winner’s face permanently affixed to the trophy

The Borg-Warner Trophy – one of the most iconic trophies in history – is what every racer in the Indianapolis 500 wants to greet them in victory circle. Commissioned in 1935, it was designed by Robert J. Hill and Spaulding-Gorham, Inc. of Chicago. The trophy was unveiled at a dinner hosted by then-Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) owner Eddie Rickenbacker in 1936. At that dinner, the trophy was officially declared the annual prize for Indianapolis 500 winners.

“It is a truly an honor for our company to provide and care for one of the most iconic trophies in sports, the Borg-Warner Trophy,” said Fred Lissalde, President and CEO – BorgWarner Inc. “The racers that have won the Indy 500 often speak of earning their place on the Borg-Warner Trophy as one of their greatest achievements. For each of them to be a part of the history and story of the Borg-Warner Trophy is gratifying.”

Designed in the Art Deco style that was popular in the 1930’s, the trophy is made of sterling silver and is just over 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs approximately 110 pounds, of which roughly 80 pounds is sterling silver. Key design features include the “wings” on each side of the trophy that symbolize the speed of flight and the flagman on the top of the trophy with the checkered flag. The most notable feature of the trophy though is the sterling silver bas relief-sculpted likeness of the face of each Indianapolis 500 winner, permanently attached to the trophy.

There is one special non-race winner’s face affixed to the trophy, Anton “Tony” Hulman, the owner of IMS from 1945 to until his death in 1977. Hulman’s face also is the only face on the trophy that is cast in gold.

The original trophy was crafted to accommodate 70 race winners. A sterling silver base has been added twice since 1984 to accommodate the additional winners. The current trophy has space available for the race winners through 2033.

The first winner to be awarded the trophy was Louis Meyer, who received it after winning the 1936 Indianapolis 500. It was Meyer’s third Indy 500 win, and he is one of only ten drivers to have won the race at least three times.

There are two sets of two drivers’ faces for one year on the trophy who were the co-driving winners in the 1924 and 1941 races.

The Borg-Warner Trophy is permanently displayed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Throughout the history of the Indianapolis 500, there have been a variety of keepsakes given to the winners to recognize their accomplishment.
Since 1988 the race winner has been given a one-of-a-kind replica of the Borg-Warner Trophy, the BorgWarner Championship Driver’s Trophy, affectionately known as the Baby Borg.

The sterling silver trophy is 20 inches high, weighs 5 pounds and rests on a lacquered wood base. The base is inscribed with the winner's name, winning team name, average speed and year of victory, and includes a hand-sculpted, three-dimensional sterling silver image of the winner, a duplicate of the image affixed to the full-sized Borg-Warner Trophy.

BorgWarner established the driver’s trophy in 1988 to provide the driver with a personal keepsake of their victory. The first recipient of the BorgWarner Championship Driver's Trophy was Rick Mears, winner of the 1988 Indianapolis 500.

The owner of the racing team that wins the Indianapolis 500 receives the BorgWarner Championship Team Owner's Trophy. Also a replica of the Borg-Warner Trophy, its band of art-deco racing cars is accentuated in gold to symbolize the importance of the team, recognize the importance of the team owner's role in the Indy Racing League, and pay tribute to the value of teamwork in auto racing and the automotive business. It is a companion to the BorgWarner Championship Driver's Trophy.

The BorgWarner Championship Team Owner's Trophy was established in 1998, the year BorgWarner marked its 70th year as a pioneering innovator in the automotive industry and renewed its commitment to product leadership as the strategic focus of its future.

The inaugural BorgWarner Championship Team Owner's Trophy was presented in April 1998 to Fred Treadway of Treadway Racing to commemorate the 1997 Indianapolis 500 victory of driver Arie Luyendyk.